Musketeer Gripweed properly blew out the Aggie Theatre in Fort Collins in celebration of Halloween, and I was there to document it. They are an exciting group who embraces the freedom of performance art that the stage brings, leaving reality behind. The band was joined by Gary Downing, father of the band’s lead singer, Jason. He ironically played the role of the father of the band’s front man, Monkey Paw Sr., and made the whole shoot more fun in the process.
Musketeer Gripweed is best self-described by front man, Monkey-paw Patterson. He writes, “Equal parts roots rock, Delta blues, and performance art, a Musketeer Gripweed performance transports audiences to a world long past – one crisscrossed with dusty country roads and populated by highway bandits, snake-oil salesmen, and charlatans. Lyrics conjure the scenes of decades of American mythology, from hardscrabble pioneer towns to Chicago speakeasies to the rivers and swamps of the Deep South.”
I had the pleasure of not just shooting their performance, but also doing some staged portraits in the sinister red dressing room before the show. I loved the whole event and can’t wait to shoot this unique group again. You just never know what will happen with this band.
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